An Irish couple launched The Organic Cotton Store in November 2005 as a result of the difficulties they encountered as parents after learning that their infant son Sam had infant eczema.

The couple became aware of the lack of options as they searched for safer and more sensitive skin-friendly alternatives to infant products. So, the couple started The Organic Cotton in an attempt to introduce other Irish parents to the best eco nappies and other goods made by conscientious companies.

In pursuit of finding the right products, it is also imperative for modern parents to understand the key layers of sustainability, and be aware of the particulars of greenwashing and preconceived notions about organic nappies and other eco-conscious baby goods.

Sustainability For Baby Products Involve A Group Of Factors And Not All Products Are The Same

There is a general perception of goodness when certain products are prefixed with phrases like "eco-friendly," "organic," "natural," "non-toxic," or "biodegradable." Disposable newborn eco nappies are one such product that has several factors that are both sustainable for the environment and the baby's health:

● Material - organic cotton, bamboo, or plant-based ingredients like cornstarch are frequently used.

● Biodegradable- organic materials disintegrate more quickly than the synthetic polymers and plastics found in conventional disposable diapers, which can take hundreds of years to do so.

● Chemical free - several eco disposable diapers are created from environmentally friendly materials and are free of chemicals that could harm a baby's sensitive skin. Some of the notorious chemicals include chlorine bleaching, PCDDs and perfum.

● Design: Certain environmentally friendly disposable diapers are made to be more absorbent, which decreases the need for frequent changes and, eventually, lowers the amount of trash produced.

Making the switch from disposables to modern cloth nappies has been made easier by a wider range of readily available cloth nappies, many with conventional cleaning methods, highly absorbent liners, and creative designs.

Organic Waste: What It Really Means In the Real World

But is that all? Do the best eco-nappies with biodegradable and skin-friendly materials make a real-life sustainable product? Many influential people believe otherwise. Chris Goodall, who authored the book How to Live a Low-Carbon Life: The Individual's Guide to Stopping Climate Change, has a strong point, featured in an article by The Guardian.

He points out that, in general, people believe that biodegradable materials are preferable to non-biodegradable materials. Even the best eco-nappies won't instantly disintegrate and evaporate when you throw them in the trash.

Compared to non-biodegradable wholesale nappies, eco products and slow manufacturing have a reduced carbon footprint. But that doesn't change the fact that eco-nappies, too, take a very long time to break down completely, and while they do, they end up in the same landfill. Even if the toxicity has decreased, the "trash problem" has not been completely resolved.

What Looks Like A Sustainable Conclusion

Working parents must manage their time well, so things that are disposable and ready to use make more sense. Yet, using one set of reusable or cloth diapers can be more functional to go with disposable diapers to cut time and not completely rule out machine washing and line drying.

Parents who use a combination of cloth and disposable diapers add to the savings. When companies produce more lasting goods and parents make more thoughtful decisions to strike a balance, a noticeable difference results.